Camera locking device



April 4, 1967 y Q HARVEY ET AL Re. 26,181

CAMERA LOCKING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. 22, 1962Douglass C. Harvey Hubert Nerwin mmvmzas 1 BY WZATTORNEYE' April 4, 1967D Q HARVEY ET AL Re. 26,181

CAMERA LOCKING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 22, 1962 2 SheetsSheet 2 1aLAso?" Douglass 0. Harvey Hube rt Nerwin IN V EN TORS ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 26,181 CAMERA LOCKING DEVICE Douglass C. Harvey and HubertNerwin, Rochester, N.Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester,N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Original No. 3,096,699, dated July 9,1963, Ser. No. 167,791, Jan. 22, 1962. Application for reissue July 7,1965, Ser. No. 470,305

7 Claims. (Cl. 953l) Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in theoriginal patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matterprinted in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

The present invention relates to locking devices for the covers ofphotographic cameras and more specifically to such devices for use incameras tiring removable light sealed roll film magazines containing afilm take-up spool, whereby a member of the film winding mechanism of acamera is moved out of engagement with the film take-up spool byreleasing the cover locking means and is engaged with the spool bylocking the cover.

In most roll film cameras in which the film is wound onto a take-upspool which is then removed from the camera, including cameras in whichthe spool is housed in a removable magazine, the take-up spool isrotated by a driving member of the film winding mechanism which isaxially received by a cooperating structure on one end of the spool. Ifthe construction of the camera requires that the [spool] film magazinebe installed in a radial direction, the driving member must necessarilybe axially movable to a retracted position and to a spool engagingposition to enable the camera to be loaded and unloaded. This movementof the driving member is generally accomplished by manually retractingor depressing the film winding knob of the camera.

In order to eliminate the extra operations involved in manually movingthe driving member and to permit rapid loading and unloading of a filmmagazine, a primary object of the present invention is to automaticallyretract the driving member as the camera locking device is released toenable the film magazine to be quickly loaded or unloaded, and to returnthe driving member to its spool engaging position directly engaging thefilm spool of a roll film magazine as the camera is locked.

One proposed approach to combining the operation of the locking meanswith the movement of the driving member involves locking the camera caseby means of the winding mechanism itself. Thus, when the winding key orknob is retracted, the camera cover is released. This approach, however,is not entirely satisfactory because of the possibility of accidentallyreleasing the cover while winding the film and because of the difficultyinvolved in securely locking the cover in this manner without impairingthe operation of the winding device.

Another object of the invention, therefore, is to combine the cameralocking means with the spool engaging member in such a way that thespool engaging member is retracted by releasing the locking means but isindependent of the locking means when the camera is closed and locked.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a camera with suchmeans which automatically lock the camera cover when it is closedwithout requiring a separate, manual locking operation.

These and other important objects of the invention will be readilyapparent from the following description, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is in a partial cross sectional front view of a portion of acamera according to a preferred embodiment of the invention showing thecover locking mecha- ICC nism in locked position and the spool drivingmember in driving engagement with the film take-up spool of a removablefilm magazine;

FIG. 2 is a Cross sectional end view of the camera taken substantiallyalong the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 showing the cover locking mechanism inlocked position;

FIG. 3 is a view of the camera corresponding to FIG. 1 showing the coverlocking mechanism in released position and the spool driving member outof engagement with the film take-up spool;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the camera taken substantially alongthe line 44 of FIG. 3 showing the cover locking mechanism in releasedposition and the cover partially opened;

FIG. 5 is a view of the camera corresponding to FIG. 1, showing thecover locking mechanism in locked position and illustrating the positionof the spool driving member when the take-up spool happens to be sooriented as to prevent the immediate driving engagement of the drivingmember with the spool;

FIG. 6 is an end view of the film take-up spool shown in cross sectionin FIGS. 1, 3 and 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional front view of a portion of a cameraaccording to an alternate embodiment in which the take-up spool in afilm magazine serves as a housing for a battery; and

FIG. 8 is an end view of the film spool shown in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIGS. 16, a camera according to the present inventionmay comprise a front housing 12 and a movable cover 14, which is held inclosed position by the cooperation of a fixed locking member 16 on thecover and a movable locking member 18 slidably mounted on the end wallof housing 12 by means of a rivet or post 20 extending through anL-shaped slot 22 in the lower end of the movable locking member and by arelease elemcnt 24, the shank of which is secured to the member andextends through a straight slot 26 in the housing end wall. A tensionspring 28, attached at one end to member 18 and at the other end to theend wall of housing 12, urges member 18 into locking engagement withmember 16. In this embodiment of the invention, the film take-up spool30, adapted for use in the camera, is incorporated in a light scaledfilm magazine 32 which may be of the type disclosed in pending US.patent application Serial No. 163,843, filed January 2, 1962, nowabandoned. [It should be understood, of course, that the invention isnot limited to cameras employing film magazines, but is equallyapplicable to cameras of the more conventional type adapted to be loadedwith roll film] The illustrated film winding mechanism comprises a shaft34 slidably and rotatably supported in axial alignment with spool 30 bya bushing 36 and provided with an external winding knob 38 fixed theretoby means of a screw 40. A spool driving member 42 is attached to theinner end of shaft 34 and comprises a disk 44 provided with one or morespool engaging keys 46. A compression spring 48 between bushing 36 anddisk 44 urges the spool driving member toward and into direct engagementwith the film spool while allowing it to be rotated by knob 38. Anothercoil spring 50 is tightly wound about shaft 34 with one end 52 of thespring located in a slot 54 in bushing 36. This spring serves as aone-Way clutch to allow shaft 34 to rotate only in the film windingdirection but allows the shaft to move axially by virtue of the freedomof the end 52 of spring 50 in slot 54.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the camera is in closed operational condition,a driving relation is established between the winding mechanism and thefilm take-up spool 3 by the engagement of keys 46 with ribs 56 (FIG. 6),of the spool. In this condition, the camera is locked as previouslydescribed, with an offset extension arm 58 ot movable locking member 18extending through the top wall of housing 12 into adjacent butnon-contacting relation with the lower surface of knob 38.

To open the camera, the lock release element 24 is slid upwardly againstthe resistance of spring 28, thereby sliding member 18 out of engagementwith member 16. As member 18 moves upwardly, the extension arm 58thereof engages the lower surface of knob 38 and raises the knob to theposition shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to withdraw the spool driving member 42from direct engagement with spool 30. After the movable locking memberhas been moved out of engagement with member 16, the lower horizontalportion of L-shaped slot 22 moves into alignment with rivet 20, therebyallowing member 18 to be rotated about element 24 to the position shownin FIG. 4 due to the offset position of spring 28. This movement ofmember 13 also serves to initiate the opening of cover 14 through theengagement of face 60 of locking member 16 with surface 62 of member 18.Having assumed this position, member 18 cannot return to the lockingposition shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 until the lower end thereof is movedinto alignment with the vertical portion of slot 22 against theinfluence of spring 28. Thus, the spool driving member remains in itsretracted position to assure easy loading and unloading of the camerawith a removable film magazine.

As the cover is closed, face 60 of locking member 16 engages surface 62of member 18 and displaces the lower end of the movable locking memberto move the vertical portion of slot 22 into alignment with rivet 20, inwhich position member 18 is moved downwardly into locking engagementwith member 16 by spring 28. As member 5 18 returns to the lockingposition, extension arm 58 is moved out of engagement with knob 38 toallow the spool driving member to be engaged with the film spool underthe influence of spring 28 as shown in FIG. 2. If a rib 56 of the spoolshould happen to be exactly aligned with one of the spool engaging keys46, the spool driving member will assume the position shown in FIG. 5,but will return to the position shown in FIG. 1 as soon as the knob isrotated by a sufficient amount to move the key out of supported relationatop the rib.

FIG. 7 shows a similar embodiment of the invention which functions inthe same manner described above, the corresponding elements beingdesignated by primed numerals. The structural differences in thisembodiment are dictated by the use of a film spool 64 similar to spool30 but adapted to house a battery 66 to supply a source of power for aflash unit as shown schematically by flashlamp 68 and synchronizerswitch 70 which is normally built into the shutter. In order toincorporate battery 66 in the circuit, shaft 34' is provided with acontact pin 72 which is urged into Contact with battery terminal 74 by alight spring 76, to establish a circuit through the members of the filmwinding mechanism. To complete the circuit, the lower end of the batteryis engaged by a resilient contact member 78 mounted on the camerahousing. In the circuit as shown, shaft 34' and bushing 36' as well ascontact pin 72 are assumed to be metal and thus conductive, while thecamera housing 12 is formed of plastic or some other insulating materialso that contact 78 may be mounted directly thereon without creating ashort circuit. To insure the proper orientation of the battery in thespool, the upper end of the spool is provided with an annular lip 80(FIGS. 7 and 8) surrounding battery terminal 74. If the battery isreversed in the spool, terminal 74 projects beyond the lower end thereofand is engaged by the resilient contact member to prevent insertion ofthe spool into the camera. As is evident from the drawings, such a spoolconstruction dictates the employment of a driving member 42' havingspool engaging pins 82 rather than keys of the type illustrated at 46.

Although the foregoing description relates to cameras having externalwinding knobs, the invention also encompasses cameras in which the filmis wound by other means, for example, by means of a lever windmechanism, a clockwork mechanism, an electric film advance mechanism,etc. [Likewise, the invention may be employed to disengage the rewindmechanism from the film supply spool in cameras in which the film isrewound after being exposed] Since these and other modifications arewithin the spirit of the invention, the present disclosure is to beconsidered as illustrative only and not as limiting the scope of theinvention which is defined by the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a camera [adapted to accommodate a rotatable film winding member,and having] the combination comprising:

(a) a housing having means to accommodate within the housing a removablelight sealed roll film magazine containing a rotatable film take-upspool,

(b) a cover movable into [and out of] a closed position closing saidhousing and out of the closed position to radially load and unload saidmagazine dirrctly into and from said housing accommodating means whilethe cover is out of the closed position,

(c) locking means movable between (1) a first position locking saidcover in said closed position, and

(2) a second position releasing said cover for movement out of saidclosed position, [and] [(d) release means for moving said locking meansfrom said first position to said second position] [the improvementcomprising:]

[e] (d) winding mechanism on said housing remote from said releasemeans, and including a driving member on said housing movable axiallyinto and out of direct driving engagement with said [winding member]spool when said [winding member] magazine is accommodated in [thecamera, and] said housing,

[f] (e) means for moving said driving member out of driving engagementwith said [winding member] spool in response to movement of said lockingmeans to said second position[.] and (f) means for moving said drivingmember into direct driving engagement with said spool only in responseto movement of said cover into the closed position.

2. In a camera [adapted to accommodate a rotatable film winding member,and having] the combination comprising:

(a) a housing having means to accommodate within the housing a removablelight sealed roll film magazine containing a rotatable film take-upspool,

(b) a cover movable into [and out of] a closed position closing saidhousing and out of the closed position to radially load and unload saidmagazine directly into and from said housing accommodating means whilethe cover is out of the closed position,

(c) locking means movable between (1) a first position in which saidcover is locked in said closed position thereby, and

(2) a second position in which said cover is released for movement outof said closed position, [and] (d) a driving member on said housingmovable axially into and out of direct engagement with said [rotatableWinding member] spool when said [member] magazine is accommodated insaid [camera] housing and adapted to impart rotational movement[thereto] to the spool when engaged therewith,

[the improvement comprising:]

(e) means for moving said driving member out of direct engagement withsaid [winding member] spool as said locking means is moved from saidfirst position to said second position,

(f) latching means for releasably retaining said locking means in saidsecond position, thereby retaining said driving member out of engagementwith said [windin g member] spool, and

(g) means responsive to movement of said cover into the closed portionfor releasing said latching means to free said locking means formovement from said second position to said first position and to movesaid driving member into direct driving engagement with said spool.

3. In a camera [adapted to accommodate a rotatable film Winding member,and having] the combination comprising.

(a) a housing having means to accommodate within the housing a removablelight sealed roll film: magazine containing a rotatable film take-upspool,

(b) a cover movable into [and out of] a closed position closing saidhousing and out of the closed position to radially load and unload saidmagazine directly into and from said housing accommodating means whilethe cover is out of the closed position,

(c) locking means movable between (1) a first position in which saidcover is locked in said closed position thereby, and

(2) a second position in which said cover is released for movement outof said closed position,

(d) resilient means urging said locking means toward said firstposition;

(e) means accessible to the camera operator for moving said lockingmeans to said second position against the influence of said resilientmeans, [and] (f) a driving member on said housing movable axially intoand out of direct engagement with said [rotatable winding member] spoolwhen said [member] magazine is accommodated in said camera and adaptedto impart rotational movement to said [member] spool when engagedtherewith,

[the improvement comprising:]

(g) means for moving said driving member out of direct engagement withsaid [winding member] spool in response to movement of said lockingmeans from said first position to said second position,

(h) latching means for releasably retaining said locking means in saidsecond position, thereby retaining said driving member out of directengagement with said [winding member] spool,

(i) means for releasing said latching means in response to the movementof said cover to said closed position, and

(j) means for moving said driving member into direct engagement withsaid spool only in response to the movement of said locking means fromsaid second position to said first position.

4. A camera according to claim 3 including means for initiating themovement of said cover from said closed position to said open positionin response to the movement of said locking means to said secondposition.

5. In a photographic camera [adapted to accommodate a rotatable filmwinding member, and having] the combination comprising:

(a) a housing having means to accommodate within the housing a removablelight sealed roll film magazine containing a rotatable film take-upspool,

(b) a cover movable into [and out of] a closed position with respect tosaid housing and out of the closed position to radially load and unloadsaid magazine directly into and from said housing accommodating meanswhile the cover is out of the closed position,

(c) locking means located at one end of said camera, said locking meansbeing movable in a plane parallel to and spaced from the axis ofrotation of [said winding member] the spool of a loaded magazine.between (1) a first position locking said cover in said closed positionand (2) a second position in which said cover is released for movementout of said closed position, [and] (d) a driving member on said housingaxially engageable with said [winding member] spool and movable axiallyinto and out of direct driving engagement therewith, for impartingrotational movement to said [winding member] spool when in drivingengagement therewith,

[the improvement comprising:]

(e) means associated with said locking means for moving said drivingmember out of direct engagement with said [winding member] spool inresponse to the movement of said locking means from said first positionto said second position,

(i) latching means for releasably retaining said locking means in saidsecond position, to retain said driving member out of direct engagementwith said [winding member] spool, and

(g) means for releasing said latching means to free said locking meansfor movement from said second position to said first position [.1 and(It) means for moving said driving member into direct driving engagementwith said spool only in response to movement of said cover into theclosed position.

6. A construction according to claim 5 in which said locking meanscomprises:

(a) a locking member slidably supported on said housing by (1) anexternally accessible release element at one end of said locking memberextending through a straight slot in said housing and (2) a post securedto said housing and extending into an L shaped slot at the other end ofsaid locking member. said post being in the vertical leg of said Lshaped slot when the locking memher is in said first position, said postbeing aligned with the horizontal leg of the L shaped slot when thelocking member is in said second position;

(b) resilient means urging said locking member toward said firstposition and tending to rotate said locking member about said releaseelement whereby the horizontal portion of said L shaped slot moves intoengagement with said post when the locking member is in said secondposition, and

(c) latch release means associated with said cover for moving saidlocking member to align the vertical leg of said L shaped slot with saidpost when the said cover is closed.

7. In a photographic camera [adapted to accommodate a rotatable filmwinding member, and having] the combination comprising:

(a) a box-like housing having means to accommodate within the housing aremovable light sealed roll film magazine containing a rotatable filmtake-up spool,

(b) a box-like cover member hinged at one end to the adjacent endportion of said housing for movement into and out of a closed positionclosing said housing,

[the improvement comprising:] 65 (0) cover locking means comprising:

(1) a stationary latch member on the free end of said cover member, (2)a movable latch member on the free end of said housing movable between(a) a first position in which said stationary latch member is engagedthereby to lock said cover in closed position and (b) a second positionout of locking engagement with said stationary latch member to releasesaid cover for movement out of said closed position,

(3) externally accessible latch release means for moving said movablelatch member to said second position,

(4) resilient means biasing said movable latch member toward said firstposition,

(5) detent means for releasably retaining said movable latch in saidsecond position,

(6) detent release means to free said movable latch member for movementfrom said second position to said first position upon the actuationthereof and (7) cooperating means on said cover and said housing foractuating said detent release means in response to the movement of saidcover to said closed position,

(d) means while the cover is out of the closed position for radiallyreceiving a magazine within said housing with the rotatable film[winding member] take-up spool [within said housing] in parallelrelation to the free end thereof,

(e) a driving member on the housing axially movable into and out ofdirect engagement with [a] the [film winding member] spool [so] of thereceived magazine for imparting rotational movement to said [windingmember] spool when engaged therewith, said driving member comprising:

(1) spindle provided with [winding member] spool engaging means at oneend thereof,

(2) means mounted on said housing for supporting said spindle for axialmovement into and out of an operative position in which [a windingmember] the spool of a magazine received in said housing is engaged bysaid [winding member] direct spool engaging means, and for rotationalmovement for driving a [winding memher] spool engaged by said [windingmember driving] direct spool engaging means,

(3) means for imparting rotational movement to said spindle,

(f) means operatively connecting said spindle and said movable latchmember for moving said spindle out of said operative position when saidmovable latch member is moved to said second position,

(g) means for moving said spindle into said operative position [when]only in response to movement of said movable latch [means is moved]member to said first position.

References Cited by the Examiner The following references, cited by theExaminer, are of record in the patented file of this patent or theoriginal patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,303,918 5/ 1919 Kroedel 95-3'2 1,527,476 2/1925Gianetto 95-31 1,792,436 2/1931 Mery 88-17 2,218,966 10/1940 Zapp 95-31X 2,391,497 12/1945 Wilson et al 88-17 2,476,996 7/1949 Nebel 242-71.12,581,691 1/1952 Moomaw et al 242-71 2,721,041 10/1955 Nerwin 242-7112,983,462 5/1961 Berlings 242-712 FOREIGN PATENTS 681 1908 GreatBritain. 583,515 9/ 1933 Germany.

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

EVON C. BLUNK, Examiner.

V. A. SMITH, Assistant Examiner.

